Link



Sept. 22, 19-31. NE 1,824,450

LINK

Filed Au 23, 1928 FIEJL Patented Sept 22 1931 UNITED STATES OFFICE JOHN SNEED, r MICHIGAN LINK;

Application filed August 2a, 1928. Serial m. 301,549.

This invention relates to links orconnecting' rods and particularly to means for as; sembling and securing, the component parts together.

In my .copending application Serial No.- 289,671, filed July 2nd, 1928, I have illustrated and described a link or tie rod formed essentially of two longitudinal halves and my present invention constitutes an im- 10 provement over my former invention, pars ticularly in the manner and means of secure ing the' parts of the link together.

It is among the objects .of my invention ,to arrange a link which may be formed es..-

I5 senti-ally of simple stampings which can be read-ily assembled. .Another object is 'to arrange a link adapted for universal engagement with parts between which the I 111111; extends. A further object is to ar-- *2 range a link having integrally formed sock; ets for ball and socket joints, the spacing of Will -appear from the folmy invention, reference being had to the accomp anying drawings. The' essential characteristics are summarizedin the claims. In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a partially 4 bers of the ends partly in section and with a partial showing of the ball-stud members between which the link extends. I

My link comprisesessentially a pair of equal longitudinally extending halves 1 and 2, each of which has a generally channeled body portion 3 and each of which has sub- 5 'stantially half socket portions 4 near its lowing description of a preferred; form of 7 broken top plan view ofthe assembledlink; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the halves of the link with the connecting memends. Extending beyond the socket por tions, the ends of each half are formed with converging exterior surfaces .5, These surfacesl may conveniently be the base or .web

of channeled extensions 6, see also Fig. 2,

' and informing the link, I- have illustrated in the preferred form of my invention that side'fianges 7 of these channeled parts may be, parallel and of decreasing depth toward the end of the I prefer that the side flanges-7 be arranged proximate each other to more completely form the socket along the surfaces at 8 and 9, and toengage a bolt as described below. The ends of the channel'ed-pa rt 6 are open the surfaces 10; V

Overlying and engaging each of the ends of the link are flattened pyramidal washers and terminate along which have inclined interior surfaces engaging the surfaces 5 of the ends of the sep;

arate halves of the link; as these'members or washers are forc'edinwardly or toward the body of the linkg'theseparate halves ofthe link are forcedtoward each other. Thus when such means as the ball studs and :31.are engaged in thesocket like parts of thelink, the-washers may be forced onto the ends of the link to grasp the balls and hold them as firmly as may bedesired. If there be any wear between the balis and sockets, compensation may be had by forcing the wash'ers 20 toward the bodyofthe link.

To draw the link, bolts a0 having T .-shaped heads are disposed within the channeled ends or the link and are held therein both against rotation and outward longitudinal movement. The bolts pass through the washersandsuc-h means-as nuts 41 threaded-on the bolts force the washers 20 onto the ends of thewa'shers tow'ard the body of the and wedge the halves together. The T- shaped heads of the bolts 4L0 are engaged betweenuthe side flanges 7 of the channeled ends of thelinfk, see Fig. 2 and held against rotation thereby. The ends of the-heads of the bolts 40 extend into apertures l2, which are punched in the inclined bases of the channeledparts of the ends of the linkland are thus held against outward movement.

ends to withstand stresses in compression.

When the link is assembled the separate halves are intended .to firmly engagethe balls of the ball studs and the halves may be spaced apart slightly to permit the halves to be moved together to compensate for wear.

in the ball and socket joints.

From the foregoing it will appear that I have provided a link which is eminently simple in design and construction, and may beeasily made andreadily assembled Each of the halves of the link may comprise a simple stamping made in one operation from sheet stock. Assembling the link, consists in positioning the T-bolts between the halves ilar longitudinal halves each half integrally when they are put together and thereafter forcing the washers 20 over the separate halves and holding thewashers-in the desired position by nuts which cooperate with the Tbolts. 1 .1 A

' I conceive that the uses of-fmy link are .manifold and that it 'may be adapted by changes in size and thickness of stockwithout departing fromthe spirit of my invention to such duties as for instance, the tie rod in the steering mechanism of a motor vehicle, a shock absorber connecting rod, or

a connection in the spark and gas control for an internal combustion engine. While I have illustrated and described a preferred form of my invention, modifications may 00- our to those skilled in the art within its scope andteaching, and I do not care to be limited to the specific construction shown and described or in any manner other than by the claims appended'hereto.

I claim l. A link comprising a'body part, socket parts 'near the ends and-parts extending beyond the socket parts engageable with securing means, said link comprising two simincluding complementary portions of said parts, and means cooperable with said last named parts for holding said halves together. I b

2. In combination a pair of .ball studs, a

link for oining said studs having a hollow body. part, substantially spherical socket parts engageable with said studs, and parts extending beyond said socket parts presenting wedging surfaces to be engaged by adjustable securing means, said link 'being formed in two longitudinally extending halves each integrally including complementary portions of said parts, and means engaging said last named parts for effecting -parts,'and securing means including parts engageable with said inclined extensions for effecting a wedging action therewith and holding said halves together.

4. The combination of a pair of ball studs, a link for joining said studs having separable socket parts near its ends engaging the ball parts of the studs, said link having por-.

tions extending beyond the socket parts and providing wedging surfaces, means having inclined surfaces adapted to engage said portions and force them-together by a wedging action to hold the separate halves of the link upon the ball parts of the studs, and means for movingsaid last named means to effect said wedging action.

5. The combination of a pair of ball studs, a linkfor joining said studs having separable socket parts near its ends engaging the ball parts of the studs, said link having portions extending beyond the socket parts with inclined exterior surfaces. and means having inclined interiorisurfaces adapted to overlie the ends of the link and force them.

together by'a wedging action tohold. the separate halves of the link upon the ball parts of the studs.

6. A link or tie rod comprising a pair of longitudinally extending halves with channeled end parts, the webs of which converge toward the ends of the link, members having diverging walls disposed over the channeled end parts and engaging the converging bases of the channeled parts, and means for forcing said members upon the ends of the link and holding the separate halves together.

7. A link or tie rod comprising a pair of longitudinally extending halves with channeled endparts, the webs of which converge toward the ends of the link, members encompassing the channeled end parts and engaging the converging bases of the channeled parts, and means for forcing said members upon the ends of the link and holding the separate halves togethenf 8. A link orrtie rod comprising two oppositely facing longitudinally. extending generally channeled halves each. of which have half socket, portions formed near the ends thereof and each of which have converging extericr surfaces beyond the socket portions, means for securing the halves together comprising a member with diverging interior. surfaces overlying the converging end portions, and means comprising bolts having heads secured within the converging ends and extending through said members for drawing said members upon the end portions.

9. A tie rod comprising longitudinally halves with channeled end portions of which the bases converge toward the ends of the link, the bases of each of the channeled end portions having apertures, a bolt having a head with parts extending into said apertures and secured against longitudinal movement thereby and extending beyond the ends of the channeled end portions, and means drawn by said bolt and overlying said end portions whereby the halves of the link are held together.

tation and against longitudinal movement I signature.

JOHN SNEED.

10. A tie rod comprising longitudinal halves with channeled end portions of which the bases converge toward the ends of the link, the bases of each of the channeled end portions having apertures, a bolt having a head with parts extending into said apertures and secured against longitudinal movement thereby and having its head held against rotation by the flanges of the channeled end portions, and means drawn by said .bolt and overlying said end portions whereby the halves of the link are held together.

11. A split link comprising longitudinal halves having end portions with inwardly spaced side flanges, washers overlying said end portions and means for securing the halves together including a bolt with a flattened head held against rotation between the said side flanges of the end portions and having a shank extending through saidwasher and a nut threaded on said bolt engaging said washer for forcing it longitudinally of said link.

12. The combination of a pair of ball studs, a link or tie rod connecting the ball parts of the studs comprising a pair of 1011- gitudinally extending halves having socket like portions engaging opposite sides of the ball parts of the studs, each ofsaid halves having channeled parts extending beyond the balls of the studs, means exteriorly engaging the channeled parts for holding the halves together and bolts extending beyond the ends of the link and having their heads adjacent the ball parts of the studs and holding said means upon the channeled ends of the link.

13. In a split link, the combination of pyramidal washers overlying the ends of the link, bolts having their heads held against 7 rotation within the ends of the link and having their shanks extending beyond the ends of the link and through said washers, anda nut for said bolt for forcing said washer onto the ends of the link.

14. In a split link, the combination of a tapering washer overlying one end of the link, a bolt having its head held against ro- 

